Only seven teams produced fewer sacks than the paltry total of 29 the Jets managed in 2007.

Enter Calvin Pace, Vernon Gholston and Kris Jenkins for 2008.

These are the new parts the Jets have added to their defense in hopes of boosting those numbers significantly in 2008, something that will improve them immediately and drastically.

Though it was only preseason, the Jets produced 13 sacks in their first three preseason games, during which the starters played at least a little bit. That pace would leave the Jets with 69 sacks in a 16-game season, a number that would lead the NFL.

Now, realistically, that’s not going to happen, but the addition of LBs Pace and Gholston, as well as NT Jenkins, who will take up two blockers on every down to open up pass rushing lanes for the LBs and DEs, has to make for a dramatic improvement in ’08.

Pace, with two impressive sacks against the Giants in the third preseason game, one of which knocked the Giants out of field goal range, showed a glimpse of what he might bring to the Jets. He’s a young player just getting comfortable with the 3-4 defense who should be about to embark on his prime.

After the Giants game, Pace, who had a career-high 6 1/2 sacks last season with the Cardinals, joked that he didn’t want to show too much in preseason.

“That felt good, but it’s like baseball in that you don’t want to hit all your home runs in exhibition play,” Pace said. “You want to get a taste of it, but it was a fine tune-up. I wanted to get some good work in, and the Giants were a good test. That’s what preseason is for. I think we’re moving forward.”

Pace said last season in Arizona, starting all 16 games as a LB in the 3-4 for the first time (he was converted from DE in 2006), “gave me some valuable experience in the 3-4, and it gave me more confidence.”

“Sometimes it’s just going out there and playing every down and making plays,” he said.

Pace has already impressed his coaches and teammates in the short time he’s been in New York.

“I’m really happy with Calvin,” coach Eric Mangini said. “I think you (reporters) see how fluid he is with change of direction, the movement stuff, the way that he can drop under coverage. He’s really unique that way for an outside linebacker who’s that big, that tall, to be able to run the way that he does and to be able to change directions the way that he does.

Jets S Kerry Rhodes said: “He has a motor that doesn’t quit. It helps us out in the secondary where if we cover long enough and give him a little more time he’ll get there [to the QB]. He has that type of drive and that type of motor to keep after it.”

Jenkins said, “I’ve known quite a bit about Calvin. We’ve played Arizona a few times [when Jenkins was in Carolina] and he’s a real hard worker, the type of guy that’s going to do all the extra stuff. I like the way he loves the game and plays the game.”